Automatic electric parcel-carrier.



0. H. BIGBY. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC PARCEL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1909.

v Patented July 19, 16910.

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. APPLTOATIOH FILED JULY 16, 1909. Patented 3 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

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C. H. BIGBY. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC PARCEL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1909. I 965,066, Patented July 19,1910.

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(1cm new UNITED STAT E S PATENT OFFICE.

COLQUITT H. .BIGBY, OF DODDBIDGE, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0 JAMES L. CRANE AND ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES A. MIERS, OF DODDRIDGE, ARKANSAS.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC PARCEL-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Application filed July 16, 1909. Serial No. 507,983.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COLQUITT H. BIGBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Doddridge, in the county of Miller and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Automatic Electric Parcel-Carrier, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in automatic electric parcel carriers and is designed for use for the delivery of goods or mail either over circumscribed areas as in department or like stores or over considerable territory for the delivery of express packages or to replace animals and men for the delivery of mail, especially in rural districts.

In accordance with the present invention two aerial tracks, one above the other, and each preferably employed for the carrying of an electric current, are employed, and by preference a feeder conductor is also used, the feeder conductor being adapted for telegraphic or telephonic intercommunication during the times when the parcel carrier system is not in use. For instance, the parcel carrier, especially when used as a mail carrier, is used during certain periods of the day time and during other periods and at night the line may be used for telegraphic or telephonic intercommunication.

The invention will be best understood. from a consideration of the following detail! description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a parcel carrier embodying certain features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a slightly modified form of the carrier shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view on a larger scale of a reversing switch used in connection with the carrier shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a side elevation 'of the carrier and the track therefor and illustrating the electric connections, the latter being shown diagrammatically. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parcel carrier on the track and illustrating the position assumed, in exaggerated form, when the parcel carrier is traveling on an incline. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the means for automatically cutting off the current from the parcel carrier and so bringing it to a standstill. Fig. 7 is a section on the line AB of Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a section on the line CD of Fig. 7, both Figs. 7 and 8 showing a track coupling.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a parcel carrier comprising a body 1 of any suitable shape and construction and not at all confined to the particular form shown in the drawings. This body portion 1 has mounted thereon an electric motor 2, the showing of the drawings in this respect be ing simply typical and not intended to show any form or type of electric motor since any electric motor adapted to the purposes of the invention may be employed.

Mounted at one end of the frame 1 in suitable journal bearings is a grooved roller or wheel 3 on the axle 4: of which there is secured a gear wheel 5 receiving motion from a pinion 6 fast on the armature shaft 7 of the motor 2. There may be two such wheels or rollers 3 in tandem one with the other as illustrated in Fig. 2 and in this case the pinion 6 will mesh with both gears 5 of the two rollers 3.

At the end of the frame 1 remote from that carrying the roller 3 there is secured a post 8 projecting upwardly from the frame 1 when the parts are in operative position and at the upper end of this post there is journaled a roller 9, or the upper end of the post may carry a rock arm 10 having two rollers 9 at opposite ends thereof in tandem relation as illustrated in Fig. 2. The roller or rollers 9 have grooved peripheries similar to the roller 3.

Secured to the body 1 is an arm 11 in pendent relation thereto and having at its upper end a lateral extension 12 by means of which the arm 11 is journaled in the body 1 so as to swing on a horizontal axis when the parts are in operative position. At the lower end of the arm or hanger 11 there is secured a box or basket 18 designed to receive articles to be transported from place to place.

It will be understood that the structure may be made large or small as conditions may demand, and depending upon the character of the articles to be transported. For mail matter only the whole structure may be made comparatively small. For the purposes of transportation of cash for stores ranged in multiple or andthe like, the structure may also be quite small. When the device is used for the transportation of packages of considerable size, the structure will be correspondingly large and the motor will be made correspondingly powerful. Also when it is desired to transport articles at high speed, say from fifty to one hundred miles an hour, the parts must be made correspondingly strong and the motor correspondingly powerful and hence for high speed work the structure will be made larger than when only a low degree of speed is demanded.

In order to. sustain and guide the carrier there are provided two aerial tracks 1415, one above the other, and in the case of transportation over considerable distances these tracks may be supported on poles 16. The tracks 14: and 15, especially where employed for rural deliver are made of ample size and tightly stretched between the poles and Wherever necessary the ends of these tracks, which may be inthe form of wires, are carried to connecting blocks 17 best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The wires enter appropriate grooves in. these blocks and are carried at an angle through them so as to be anchored therein. The blocks may be made of two parts having matching faces which together are provided with grooves for the reception of the wires let or 15 and these blocks are clamped together by means of bolts 18. The upper surface of the block is so shaped as to, merge into the wires 14 or 15 and side flanges. 19 guide the wheels of the carrier along the block and onto the continuation of the conductor at the other end from the entering end. One of the bolts 18 is connected to a bracket 20 which in turn may be connected directly to the corresponding post 16 or to a cross arm when. the latter is used.

Both tracks 14 and 15 are designed to carry electric currents and a suitable source of current such as indicated at 21 in Fig. 4: may be connected to one of the tracks, say the track 14 While the other side of this current source may be connected to a feeder wire 22 mounted on but insulated from the post 16- and extending. preferably on the opposite side thereof 15 but parallel with the latter. The end of the conductor 15 remote from the current source 21 may be connected to the feeder wire 22 and this feeder other current sources such, for instance, as the current source 23. These current sources in small plants may be in the form of suitable batteries and in large plants may take the form of dynamos of suitable capacity. In the drawings, the two current sources illustrated are shown in series, but it will be understood that they may be arany other arrangement of the current sources with respect to 1 participate from the tracks lt and,

wire may include the tracks 14 and 15 may be employed; By the means illustrated the difference of potem tial between the tracks 14 and 15 is sub stantially the same throughout their length and consequently the current supplied to the motor 2 will be substantially the same at all times irrespective of the position of the carrier along the track. Because of the strains to which the tracks 14 and 15 are subjected they are necessarily made comparatively large while the conductor 22 may be made comparatively small and still be sufiiciently large to carry the current demanded.

Since it is desirable to cause the carriers to run in either direction along the tracks without the necessity of disconnecting them therefrom, there is provided a reversing switch 24-, shown in the drawings as reversing the current through the field of the motor and so causing a reversal of the direction of rotation thereof, in accordance with the position of the switch.

Since the action of gravity may be utilizedwherever the track inclines downwardly and so current may be economized under such circumstances, the hanger 11 has its journal end 12 continued through the frame 1 in the particular showing of the drawings and at the outer end of this journaling section 12 there is secured a block 25 having all or a portion of its periphery cylindrical except that at one point this periphery is flattened as indicated at 26. he block 25 has secured thereto a handle 27 in such manner that when the handle 27 is moved about the journal 12 as an axis the block 25 will in this movement but the frictional engagement of the block with the journal 12 is sufiicientto hold the block in adjusted position. Of course it will be understood that any suitable stop devices may be used, since this block is designed to iave two operative positions with respect to the journal 12.

Fast on the journal 12 so as-to turn therewith is a yoke-shaped bracket 28 embracing the block 25 and with the legs of this bracket the handle or lever 27 engages when at the limit of its movement in either direction. Bearing on the cylindrical surface of the block 25, which block is of conducting matcrial, are two brushes 2930, but the arrangement is such that when the flat portion 26 of the block is brought beneath the brushes 29 30, these brushes will not make contact with the block and the circuit between them is thereby broken. The brushes are introduced into the motor circuit so that the circuit to the motor is completed through these brushes and the portion of the block 25 upon which they bear. hen the fiattened portion of the block is brought beneath the brushes then the circuit through the-motor is broken and the latter will stop.

When the carrier reaches a portion of the track inclining downwardly, the basket 13 will maintain the hanger ll pendently and the carrier will move about the journal 12 as about an axis. This will cause a turning of the block 245 with relation to the brushes 2930 until ultimately the flattened portion 26 of the block 25 is brought beneath the contiguous ends of the brushes. When this occurs the circuit through the motor is broken and the carrier travels entirely by the action of gravity thus economizing in current. This is particularly valuable on 1on0 downward inclines which, in a system of the character to which this invention relates, often occur and the-saving in current is therefore a material item. When a level or elevation in the track is reached the block 25 is again brought into such relation with the brushes 29-30 as to reestablish the circuit through the motor and the carrier will then be driven by the energy developed by the current. When the carrier is going in the opposite direction it will be necessary of course to reverse the position of the lever 27 and of the block 25 actuated by said lever. This lever 27 as well as the reversing switch 2% may be automatically operated at the end of the run of the carrier in either direction by the engagement with suitable stops in the path of the carrier.

In order to cause the stoppage of the carrier at any point desired, one of the tracks, say the track 15, may be made sectional and these sections may be coupled up to the feeder wire 22 through switches 31, see Fig. 6. These switches are so arranged that their arms 32 may be set in the path of the carrier so as to be engaged by the carrier and moved to the open circuit position thus cutting off the current from the particular section upon which the carrier is traveling and thus cause the carrier to come to a standstill. These switches are so arranged that their arms 32 may be moved out of the path of the carrier while still maintaining the circuit to the section of the track 15 intact. This may be accomplished by means of an elongated terminal 33 in the path of the switch arm 32. When it is desirable to stop the carrier at a certain point, then an operator moves the switch arm 32 into the path of the carrier without, however, bringing the switch arm to the open circuit position. Now when a carrier approaches the switch arm 32 is engaged by the carrier and is moved in a direction to break the circuit at the elongated terminal 33 thus cutting out the particular section of track upon which the carrier is moving.

When it is desirable to stop a carrier and the switch arm has been moved into the position noted and a carrier has approached and moved the switch arm to the open circuit position and then the carrier has come to rest,

the operator has but to move the switch arm again to the closed circuit position to cause the carrier to again proceed on its travels.

The feeder wire 22 may be utilized for telegraphic or telephonic intercommunication and in Fig. a two telephone stations are indicated at 3%, the showing being simply indicative. These telephone stations may be provided with suitable switches 35 by means of which they may be coupled to the conductor 22 so that this conductor may be used as a line wire for the telephone stations when the system is not being utilized for the transportation of mail or other artlcles. This feature of the invention may be utilized at night for at such times mail is not transported on rural delivery lines.

It will be understood that the showing of the drawings is not to be taken as mandatory and as the only practical embodiment of the invention since in many details the structure may be varied from the showing of the drawings and therefore the invention 1 includes such changes of structure and proportions as may be necessary without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In automatic electric parcel carrier, extended tracks, a carrier adapted to said tracks and provided with an electric motor receiving current from the tracks, a suspended basket or receptacle in pendent relation to the carrier, and a cut-out in the motor circuit maintained by the receptacle in closed circuit position when the carrier is moving on a level or uphill, and movable by the pendent receptacle to the open circuit position when the carrier is going down hill.

2. In an automatic electric parcel carrier, suitable tracks, a carrier movable thereon and provided with an electric motor receiving current from the tracks, a pendent receptacle for goods secured to the carrier, a cut-out on the carrier in the motor circuit, said cut-out being connected to the receptacle and movable thereby to the closed circuit or open circuit position, and means for moving said cut-out to operate in either direction of travel of the carrier.

3. In an automatic electric parcel carrier, extended tracks, a carrier structure movable therealong and provided with an electric motor receiving current from the tracks, a

4; In: an automatic electric parcel carrier, 1119; the circuit to the conductor sections'aiid extended tracks one of Which is sectional, a also movable by the carrier to open circuit feeder conductor, a source of current conposit-ion. nectedto the other track and to the feeder In testimony that I claim the foregoing l5 5 conductor, a carrier adapted to the tracks as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signaand pIOVidedfWlt-h an electiiic motor 1ieceiV ture in the presence of two witnesses. 3 ing current mm the trac rs, and e ectric r switches at predetermined points for coup- COLQUITT BIGBL lingthe feeder conductor to the sectional Witnesses:

10 track; said switches being movable into-and V. J. SLAY,

out of the path of the carrier Without break- HENRY FIELD. 

